Apparatus for distilling glycerine



(No Model.)

R. GIBBERMANN.

APPARATUS FR DISTILLING GLYCEBINE. No. 319,971.

Patentedluna .16,...118 85.

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, UNITED STATES rPATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLPH G-IEBERMANN,

OF CHICAGO, ILLTNOIS.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING GLYCERINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,971, dated June 16, 1885.

Application filed May 9, 1884. (No model,)

To roll whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH GIEBERMANN, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Distilling Glycerine, of which the following is a specification, to wit:

This invention relates to apparatus for distilling glycerine; and it consists in certain peculiarities ofthe construction and arrangement of the same, whereby the product is rendered of better quality and the glycerine-water saved, substantially as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, l will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the accompanying drawing, which represents a vertical section of my apparatus in position for use.

A represents a steam-superheating furnace provided with the grate a., and having the steam-supply pipe B coiled over the fire-pot, as shown at b. Over this furnace is placed an air-tight still, C, for holding the crude glycerine, and into which is projected the perforated end b of the steam-pipe B, which is also provided with a hydrometer, B', as shown. The upperpart of the still C is connected by a pipe, C with the condenser D, consisting of a number of vertical pipes, d, connected in pairs at their upper ends by return-bends d', and having their lower ends opening into the vacuumpans E E. Each of these pans is provided with a glass gage, c c, and suitable pipes, e', for drawing off the distilled product.

The opposite end of the condenser is, by a pipe, di, connected to a cooling and condensing cylinder, G,within which is arranged a second cylinder, G', and the former is provided with an .outlet-pipe, g, connecting it with a suitable receptacle or reservoir, G2, While the inner cylinder is provided with a Water-supply pipe, g, having a nozzle, g2, and an eX- haust-pipe, g3, as represented. The outer cylinder is also connected to a pipe, H, leading to a vacuum-pump located at any convenient point, and, being of any of the usual and wellknown forms, it was not considered necessary to illustrate it in this connection.

The distillation invacuo has been in use for manyyears, and has been tried with glycerine; but many experiments have proved that it is impossible to produce a highly-concentrated article of uniform quality in the appa-- ratus which has been used. Another disadvantage was that the gl ycerine-water received in the condenser was a total loss, as it was not ofsufficient quantity to keep the vacuum-pump sealed, and therefore a very large amount of Water had to be added to it, which rendered it impossible to again use it. By my device I am enabled to overcome these difficulties and to produce a perfectly concentrated glycerine of a uniform quality, and also to save the Water of condensation, which contains a considerable quantity of glycerine which maybe eX- tracted by redistillation.

I operate as follows: The crude glyeerine is placed in the still C and the fire started. As soon as this is fairly going, steam is turned on the superheater, and the vacuum-pump and water admitted to the surface-condenser G G', and also the pipeH through the nozzle h,pro jee: ed therein. The water soon condenses in the receivers or pans E E', but disappears again as they become heated. In about half an hour the glycerine will commence to distill over,\vhich can be test-ed from time to time at the gages c e. The first few pounds condensing in the pan E arenot perfectly pure, and are drawn off into a small receiver, t'. From this time, however, the glycerine received in the pan E will be found to be perfectly pure and concentrated, and amount to about eighty per cent. of the charge of the still. The product receivedin the second pan, E, does not possess such a high degree of purity as that in E, but is odorless, and is a very good article for nitroglycerine purposes, but it may be drawn off and redistilled, thus giving an Aexceedingly brilliant quality. The steam withits remnant of glycerine which passes into the condenser G is, by contact with the constantly-cooled inner cylinder, G', fully condensed, and this glycerine-water is drawn off into the receptacle G2, and from this it may be again transferred to the still and redistilled.

The receivers E E must be of sufficient si'ze to hold the whole charge of the still, and this enables me to operate without interruption, and produces au article of uniform density.

ICO

This is an important feature, as the density of the distilled article always changes with the pressure and temperature of the steam in the apparatus.

5 Great economy in fuel is also obtained by placing the still directly over the superheating-furnace, as in that case the fire for one purpose serves equally well for the other at the same time.

to Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In an apparatus for distilling glycerine, the

furnace A, having the superheating steam-coil 15 l, and still C, directly over it7 the glycerine- RUDOLPH GIEBERMANN.

Witnesses:

W. C. MCARTHUR, A. S. PAR. 

